Eaten Up
by TheDevilsSister
Summary: Valerie loves Peter, but she is forced to marry Henry to save him.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Your suggestions are wanted and appreciated, so please review! I should be adding a second chapter soon.

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><p>Clutching the sturdy wooden pail in her small pale palms, Valerie headed to the stream just before the dark forest, remembering her mother's long worn words of warning. "<em>Fetch water and come straight home, don't talk to strangers." <em>She smirked thinking that in the village of Daggerhorn there were few strangers, practically everyone knew everyone. The village had foreign visitors, but Valerie had little interest in speaking with strange grown men that were there in Daggerhorn on business or to trade goods.

She tipped the bucket below the stream's surface and with both hands, lifted it to the bank. She then rushed home with it as fast as she could without spilling, pushing the door open with her foot. She set the pail on the kitchen table and called out for her mom. _Strange. _She thought. Her mother wasn't home. _Probably at the market._ She concluded. She ran out of the small home back to the stream. She plopped down on the bank and watched the water trickle by.

"Val."

The sound of her name made her jump. She turned to see a young dark haired boy holding a sheathed knife out to her. She smiled at her friend, taking the weapon and shoving it into her belt.

She laughed. "You scared me, Peter." He smiled back, taking the girl's hand and lifting her to her feet.

"I thought nothing scared you." He teased. She followed him into the woods, moving quietly as possible.

"Everyone here is afraid."

"Suppose you're right." He admitted, pulling back a branch so she could pass beneath it. "I have the traps set, but I'm sure we'll be waiting a while. When does your mother expect you back?" He asked, lying himself out on his belly beneath the trees. She joined him there, palming the sheath, moving it up her side away from her hipbone.

"I have hours. She only really worries during the moon." The girl explained. "Anyway, Lucie is sometimes out with boys all day."

Peter's brow furrowed. "Boys? What for? She doesn't have any boys for friends." Valerie shrugged.

"Roxanne says she kisses them."

"Kisses them?" He asked, surprised. Valerie nodded. They both laughed, causing an immediate shift in the high grasses.

"Ugh, think we lost our prey." Valerie said, disappointedly turning over onto her back. She braided blades of grass, lost in her thoughts of her curious sister.

"There'll be more." He assured. She nodded sleepily. She fell asleep, dropping the braid on her stomach. He picked it up, studying the amateur braid before placing it into his pocket. She was so pretty, so peaceful in her sleep, and he wished they could stay here forever, safe in this glorious moment. For the first time he thought of running away with her. Considered escaping the only existence they'd ever known of enslavement to the wolf that plagued Daggerhorn.

The high grass shifted again, loudly this time, suggesting something larger than he had planned for. It wasn't safe to run with whatever it was so close, so he scooted closer to Valerie, careful not to wake her. He slid the blade from its home at her waist. The rustling grew louder and came closer before he heard a giggle. It was a woman, and ahead of her came a man. Henry's father, he recognized, but what came next was shocking. Valerie's mother, holding the man's hand and sitting cross legged on the grass, a mere ten feet from the trap. Their hunting plans were spoiled now. He wanted to wake Valerie and leave, but something told him he had already seen too much to risk revealing their presence.

"I feel terrible. I love Cesaire, I do, but he's gone most nights, long, long nights, and works all day. I hardly see him. I cannot go without a husband anymore." Suzette cried. The man brushed tears from her cheeks, pulling her into his lap. "We have to be strong, my love. For our children. You can always come to me, Suzette." He brushed the blonde curls from her face and she quickly turned to capture his lips.

"Adrien!" She moaned. Pushing herself on top of him. Their hands moved quickly, his hands unstringing her shirt, pulling her breasts free. Her hands were on his belt, unbuckling and unbuttoning, reaching her hands deep into his trousers. Adrien grabbed her breast, taking a rosy pink nipple into his mouth. Peter clamped his wide disbelieving eyes shut. _Valerie_, He thought _I have to get her out of here. _He covered the girl's mouth and her eyes flew open.

"Shh!" He whispered "You have to run with me." He ordered. She nodded, quietly getting to her feet with him. They ran, fast as they could, back to the stream. They were both out of breath, panting, their small hearts pounding.

"What is it, Peter?" She asked, alarmed.

"I'm not sure. Something we shouldn't have been there for."

"What did you see?" She asked.

"Do you trust me, Val?" He asked and she nodded wholeheartedly. "I can't tell you what I saw. I don't _know_ what I saw."

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><p>Eight years later...<p>

Peter scanned his oldest friend from head to toe. When had she grown up? And how so lovely? He cleared his throat, approaching her in the forest. Her big blue eyes followed him, a large smile on her face. "I've missed you, Peter." He smiled.

"I haven't been far, but they're keeping me busy with lumbering, they say I have a lot to learn." To his surprise, she took his hand, leading him down by the stream. They often came here as children, lessening more and more over the years. She pulled off her socks and shoes and hiked up her skirt to her thighs. Peter watched this ritual carefully, chewing his tongue to disguise his potentially inappropriate captivation. He mirrored her moves, pulling the legs of his black trousers up to his knees. She sat at the bank, slipping her feet into the cold water and gasping at the temperature. Still watching her, he carefully bent to sit beside her. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted back in the summer sunlight. Her hair glowed radiantly, curls bouncing off her breasts; taking all the breath from him.

"I feel something bad coming." Her words sobered him. She was usually right when she said things like this. He clasped her hand and she gave it a thankful squeeze, looking forward now.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Death."

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><p>Please give me some feedback, I have quite a few ideas for upcoming chapters, but your ideas help as well!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry my first chapters are so short, they will be getting longer. I just wanted to leave you with some suspense or cliffs! Thank you for reading! Please Review!

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><p>"Valerie! All of the girls are braiding out by the apple trees. You should come." The kind redheaded girl, Roxanne, invited. Valerie nodded. Peter was working today, anyway, and she needed something to distract her. The girls were sitting in the grass under the shade of the apple trees, most in pairs some in groups of three. They were all braiding each other's hair, in intricate designs to prepare for the wedding celebration of Prudence's uncle and her new aunt. The celebration would have plenty of music, dancing, hard drinks and food. The entire village was busy with preparations, happy to have something to celebrate. There hadn't been a wedding in a long while and everyone was talking about the sweet traditional ceremony that took place that morning.<p>

A few girls eyed her as she walked into the shade with Roxanne, she ignored it, she always did. "Oh please let me braid yours!" Roxanne grinned, moving behind Valerie as she sat, legs crossed at the ankle. She aided the girl in taking out the braids she had in. Roxanne combed through her hair with her fingers until she was satisfied with the results. Beginning at the left side of her head, she expertly began to braid Valerie's hair tightly. She winced, tears brought to her eyes from the tolerable yet sharp pain of having her hair pulled. She blinked and wiped the tears away, noticing then that someone was watching her. The apple trees grew kitty corner from the blacksmith's and Henry stood at its entrance, watching her carefully. She looked down at her lap bashfully. When she looked again he had disappeared back into the shop. "He likes you, Valerie." Roxanne said, making the blonde cough awkwardly.

"Who?" She asked.

"Henry. He always looks at you." Valerie jerked, then grimaced at the pain it caused.

"Hmm. I feel like people are always looking at me." Valerie admitted.

"Sure, but Henry is gorgeous." Roxanne squealed girlishly.

_Peter is gorgeous._ She thought, switching places with the redhead when she secured the first clip. Valerie began braiding her hair in complex twists and impressive knots. She was still thinking about what Roxanne said.

"Henry isn't my kind of guy."

"Oh? What _is_ your kind of guy?" The nosey girl inquired. "A woodsman perhaps?" Valerie smiled blissfully at his mention, thankful that her face couldn't be seen. It was no secret in Daggerhorn that Peter and Valerie had something more than friendship between them. "Where is your sister?" Roxanne asked. As if on cue, Lucie was seen walking by the blacksmith's shop toward the gathering beneath the apple trees. The pretty yet extremely plain girl joined her friends in braiding, waving to Valerie before she sat. Lucie was starting to talk to her less and less, and it troubled her.

"Lucie doesn't talk to me like she used to." Valerie admitted, sadly. Suddenly she felt awful, nauseous and feverish. "Can Prudence finish your braids, Rox? I'm not feeling well." Roxanne nodded, holding the braid at the back of her head.

"Feel better. Hope to see you tonight!" Roxanne waved, Valerie smiled politely, and began walking home.

She began to feel worse, sweat coating her forehead. She rounded a corner, slamming into a tall brunette. He dropped a metal rod that clanged loudly against the cobblestone. She gasped, almost stumbling backwards. She braced herself against the dirty brick wall of the backside of the blacksmith's, feeling faint.

"Valerie! Valerie? Are you alright?" She looked up to see Henry's handsome, concerned face. Just then the feeling passed and she was blushing in embarrassment.

"I'm fine, sorry." She apologized, feeling terrible about bumping into him.

"Don't worry about that. Are you feeling alright?" He asked, she nodded, trying to take deep breaths.

"Yes. Sorry about your… rod?" She said, laughing awkwardly. He laughed too, picking it up off the ground.

"No harm done, its not usually hard like this." He cleared his throat, feeling foolish for saying it that way. "I mean, we heat them and form them into things." They laughed.

"Alright well, I'm going to get going, sorry again." He nodded, watching her walk away hastily.

"It's alright!" He shouted after her. "Bye!" He felt like a boy, fumbling and nervous.

She was still laughing when she heard a commotion just ahead of her. Twenty feet away she saw a crowd of people, Peter at their center. He was out cold, strewn across a long board, looking pale and terribly ill. She ran towards him, held back by lumbermen when she was getting close to reaching him. "Stay back." They ordered.

"What happened!" She demanded, seeing a woodsman she recognized. "Hans!" The men let her go once Peter was out of sight. "Hans, what happened?" The short muscular bearded man shrugged.

"He dropped. He was all sweaty and then he fainted." The man told her, walking away to join the other men.


End file.
